Gaff hook



July 11, 1939.

`A. R. E-ASTMAN GAFF HOOK Filed July 2l, '1937 Uwe/770,2' /7/07120Patented July 11, 1939 UNITED 'ii ATET GFFICE 14 Claims.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a gaif hook forlanding iish, which gaff hook normally is stiff and more or less rigid,but is adapted to permit the parts thereof to become detached to alimited degree to provide swiveling action between the hook and theshank and also articulation therewith.

In landing a fish, particularly large game fish such as salmon, it isnecessary to use a gaff hook,

l0 and because of the gameness of the sh, it tends to throw itself freefrom the hook. Many fish are lost after they have been gaifed and beforethey are landed. A fish can wriggle free because it can lift itself freeof a gaff hook which is more or less rigid. If the hook is arranged upona swiveling action, the swiveling tends to accommodate the movement ofthe iish about an axis of rotation extending longitudinally of thehandle, and if the hook is connected to the handle by a iiexible member,it is relatively diflcult for a fish to free itself. An articulated orjournaled handle, however, prevents the gaif from having that degree oflateral stiffness by which a gaif hook can be embedded in a fish whenthe parts are extended laterally.

I have provided a ga hoo-k which is normally stiif and unyielding butwhich is adapted to elongate under the weight of a fish, so that thegaff hook portion can become detached from the shaft.

The parts are connected by a iiexible element such as a cable and thuswhen the elongated portions become detached they are secured togethermerely by the flexible cable, and articulation as well as swivelingaction is accommodated.

Further details of my invention and the mode of construction andoperation are hereinafter described With reference to the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a more or less pictorial illustration of the manner in which afish is landed with a gaff hook embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal elevation of said gaif hook;

Fig. 3 is a larger scaled longitudinal section thru a portion of saidgaff hook and illustrates the manner in which the parts are normallyjoined together;

Fig. 4 is an elevation of said parts illustrating the manner in whichthe hook may become detached from the socket formed by the tubularportion of the handle and permit swiveling and articulation to takeplace;

Fig. 5 is a larger scaled detail view showing the manner by which aexible cable is provided with a rounded connection toA eliminate sharprupturing bends;

Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 5 showing a modification in the mannerby which the flexible cable may be secured without being subject to 5sharp bendingstresses;

Fig. 'l is a similar large scaled detail showing,

a still further mo'dication of a joint permitting articulation at thepoint Where the hook joins the handle, said figure showing the partsseated l0 one within the other;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. l but with the parts disengaged topermit articulation;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9 9 in Fig. '7,illustrating the manner in which l5 the parts are seated one within theother; and

Fig. l0 is a sectional view taken on the line lil-lil in Fig. 3.

A gaff hook embodying my invention comprises a handle a, preferably madeof tubular metal 20 and to which a wooden stock b is detachabh1 secured.The fastening devices preferably comprise a pair of bayonet joint slotsc formed at the end of the handle a, and a pin d extending transverselyof the stock is adapted to engage 25 said bayonet joint slots. A coilspring e is housed within the stock and bears against the end of thehandle to hold said pin in engagement With said bayonet joint slot.

A liner b is preferably arranged within the 30 bore of the stock and hasa free fit with the periphery of the handle. A ferrule b2 encircles theend of the stock to prevent said stock from splitting. At the end ofsaid handle opposite the stock a gaf hook f is journaled. Said gaff hook35 is provided with a shank f', Which is journaled within a removablebit g constituting an extension of said handle. Said bit is threadedthru said handle and forms a longitudinal extension thereof. Said bit isdetachable from the handle 40 to permit a coiled spring h to be housedwithin the handle and a washer i to bear against the end of the bit,against which one end of the coiled spring can bear. Another washer i isarrangedv at the opposite end of said coiled spring and 45 said coiledspring is compressed between. said Washers.

A section of flexible material such for example as steel cable lcextends thru the coils of sai-d spring h and terminates in the knob-likeend' 50 I at one end extending above the washer i and in asemi-spherical knob-like end m housed Within the bore of the shank f ofthe gaff hook. The cable is of sufficient length with regard to theparts of the gaff hook and the coiled spring 55 sof h when elongated to.cause the shank, to be seated tightly within the bore of the bit y.

The end of said bit is provided with a series of notches'or pockets y",and the shank is provided `with a projecting pin f2 adapted to seat in apocket with which it is' aligned. When said pin is arranged in a pocket,the parts are prevented from swiveling; that is, rotating relativelyabout an axis extending longitudinally of the handle. The spring hassufficient initial tension that it takes a substantial pull upon the galhook to unseat saidv pin from one of said pockets, and' thus said partsare permitted to swivel only when the barbed end f3 of the gail hook isembedded in spherical endm for the cable lc'kseats in a cupped recess f5formed at the end of the .bore-of said shank as illustrated in Fig.v 5.The axial bore f5 leading exteriorly therefromfis sueiently` large topassk the cable but to retain the end m. Said bore is substantiallylarger than the cable, however, and permits a rather wide arcuate swingof the semi-spherical end m in its seat and the corresponding arcuatemovement of. the cable in the bore f6 without producing binding or asharp bend in the cable at this point.

The' shank f is oi substantial length and is Yseated substantially inits entirety in the bore of the bit g. A close sliding t is thusproduced at this point and thus if a iish is lifted as is shown in Fig.l, said'parts tend to bind onewith the other and tend to prevent the gaihook from Yslipping outwardly from the handle to the position shown inFig. 4. Whenafish is lifted directly upwardly, that is in line with thehandle, the weightof the fish tends to compress'the spring and permitthe shank to become un'seated from the Ybore of the handle so that theparts are free to move angu-V Viarly as well as to rotate abouttheilongitudinal axis thereof. The degree to which ysaidlpartsthusoverlie each other and their journaled nt in each other isa matter oiYsome substantial LYimportance, in my opinion. Anotherfactor bearing uponthe question is that when the barbed point f3 alone is entering in theiish, it extends at asubstantial angle to the longitudinal axis of thehandle and thus produces a binding strainV to prevent said parts fromsliding freely, but when the sh is embedded so that the embedded portionlies within the hook, it lies more nearlyY in a straighty line with theshank, compresses the spring more easily, and permits the parts to slideoutwardly.

In Figli I illustrate how a larger semi-spherical terminal 1L can besecured to the cable lc.v -A bito is screw-threaded into the handle a.Said bit is substantially larger than said handle and thus is adapted toaccommodate an enlarged shank end p for the gaf hook f. y A plug q seatswithin said shank end and is screw threaded therein. A pin q extendsacross said plug andrseats in a series of notches or sockets o in thethreaded portion of said bit and to this end'functionas do the similarstructures shown in the rst embodiment of my invention. The largerdiameter of the shank end In the modication shown in Figs. `7, 8 and 9',I-

illustrate how an articulated joint can be formed between the handle aand the gaff hook f. This is accomplished by seating a bit r within thebore of the handle a, and forming the end f1 of said gaff hook to benoncircular in section. The under side of said bit, that is the face ofsaid bit extending towards thergaff hook, is recessed as at 1^', and inthe central portion a pocket 12 is formed. Said pocket is formed toreceive the noncircular end f1 of the gan" hook under Ythe influence ofa coiled spring f, which encircles said hook. That is, said spring fnormally tends tohold the end fl of the n gai hook in the recess 1"',and the noncircular end f1 is aligned with the pocket to seat said endtherein. When seated the noncircular end'prevents relative rotation ofthe gaff hook. It also tends to cause said gaff hook to be rigidlyaligned with the handle.

Said gaff hook is seated within a semi-spherical` Y ball joint t,preferably made of rubber or other resilient materialyand. is seated ina socket. q formed within a shank end 1J. Said4 shank ,end isscrew-threaded to the bit 1', and is hollowed out as is shown in Figs.'7 and 8. The bit 1- also is more orless tubular and is sealed at oneend by a plug` 1J. A chambered portion o Vwithin theshank endcommunicates with the bore .13 ofthe bit by anoil hole zr. The bore ofsaid bit, the ehambered portion of. the shank f; and the oil hole form avreser- Vvoir forV oil. Said oil thusr surrounds the end of theshankhook, thecoil spring, and a portion of the oil tends tov workbetween the ball joint t and its socket q. The oil thus serves tolubricate said parts and toprevent them from locking together, rusting,or otherwise failing to function in Y'an efficient manner. A freshsupply of'oil can be provided by unscrewing the bit, removingthe plugand filling the bore'and chambered portion of the shank end. Y

In the absence of a pull upon the gaff hook in said. modiiication, andwhen the noncircular end fl kof the ga hook is properly aligned with thepocket r2 inthe bit, the gai hook and handle are locked together andform longitudinal extensions oi each other. The gai hook can thus beused to gait a fish as if said'parts were one integral member. tocompress the coil spring sand to move the noncircular portion Jlcfrsaidgaff hook into engage coiled spring and the resiliency of themember t.

Thus, when the gaffv hook is aligned, the endfl will again seat in thepocket 12 and the handle andgaf hook will be eiectively secured one withthe other; I the membert is provided withsuicient resiliencydt caneffectively replace the coiledY spring s. j j Y 4 l l. A device of thecharacterl described conflprising a handle element andi a hook carriedthereby,` saidy handle elementbeing. tubular, saidr hook being providedwith a shank adapted to seat.

in the bore of said tubular handle element, and an elongated cablejoining saidghook and han.n dle elements being of such; length as topermit unseating of the hook shank.

2. A device of the character described comprising a handle element and ahook carried thereby, said handle element being tubular, said hook beingprovided Withfa shankl adaptedto seat rIhe weight of the fish. however',is sulici'ent When the fish is removedfrom then movedtoward each otherby the action'oftheV in the bore of said tubular handle element, meansadapted for mutual engagement to prevent relative axial rotation of saidparts, and a spring element adapted to hold said hook and handleelements seated relatively.

3. A device of the character described comprising a handle element and ahook carried thereby, said handle element being tubular, said hook beingp-rovided with a shank adapted to seat in the bore of said tubularhandle element, a pinand-socket joint formed upcn the engaging portionof said tubular handle and the shank of the hook to prevent relativeaxial rotation of said handle and hook element, and a spring elementadapted to hold said hook and handle elements seated relatively.

4. A device of the character described comprising a handle element and ahook carried thereby, said handle element being tubular, said hook beingprovided with a shank adapted to seat in the bore of said tubular handleelement, means adapted for mutual engagement to prevent relative axialrotation of said parts, an elongated flexible member joining said hookand handle elements and being of such length as will permit unseating ofthe hook shank, and a spring element adapted to hold said hook andhandle elements seated relatively.

5. A device of the character described comprising a handle element and ahook carried thereby, said handle element being tubular, said hook beingprovided With a shank adapted to seat in the bore of said tubular handleelement, means adapted for mutual engagement to prevent relative axialrotation of said parts, an elongated cable joining said hook and handleelement and being of such length as Will permit unseating of the hookshank, and a coiled spring element encircling said cable adapted to holdsaid hook and handle elements seated relatively.

6. A device of the character described comprising a handle element and ahook carried thereby, said handle element being provided with aseparable stock held in engagement therewith, said handle element beingtubular, said hook being provided with a shank adapted to seat in thebore of said tubular handle element, means to` prevent relative axialrotation of said hook and handle element, an elongated flexible memberjoining said hook and handle element and being of such length as topermit an unseating of the hook shank, and a spring element adapted tohold said hook and handle element seated relatively to each other.

7. A device of the character described comprising a handle element and ahook carried thereby, said handle element being provided with aseparable stock resiliently held in engagement therewith, said handleelement being tubular, said hook being provided With a shank adapted toseat in the bore of said tubular handle element, means adapted toprevent relative axial rotation of said hook and handle element, anelongated exible member joining said hook and handle element and beingof such length as to permit unseating of the hook shank, and a springelement adapted to hold said hook and handle element seated relativelyto each other.

8. A device of the character described comprising a handle element and ahook carried thereby, said hook being secured to the handle element by arotatable and articulated joint, and yieldable means for holding saidhook and handle rigid across said joint but yieldable in the presence ofa predetermined pull upon said hook to render said joint movable.

9. A device of the character described comprising a handle element and ahook carried thereby, said hook being secured to the handle element by arotatable and articulated joint, and spring-seated means for holdingsaid hook and handle rigid across said joint but yieldable in thepresence of a predetermined pull upon said hook to render said jointmovable.

10. A device of the character described comprising a handle element anda hook carried thereby, said handle element and said hook being joinedby an axially rotatable and flexible member.

11. A device of the character described comprising a handle element anda hook carried thereby, said handle element and said hook being joinedby an axially rotatable and exible member and in one position bearingone in the other to constitute a nonflexible joint,

l2. A device of the character described cornprising a handle element, ahook carried thereby, said handle element and said hook being joined bya iiexible member and in one position bearing one in the other toconstitute a nonflexible joint, and means tending to hold said handleelement and said hook in bearing relation but to yield under apredetermined pull upon said hook.

13. A device of the character described comprising a handle element, ahook carried thereby, said handle element and said hook being joined bya iiexible member and in one position bearing one in the other toconstitute a nonflexible joint, and a resilient retaining device tendingto hold said handle element and said hook in bearing relation but toyield under a predetermined pull upon said hook.

14. A device of the character described comprising a handle element, ahook carried thereby, said handle element and said hook being joined bya flexible member and in one position bearing Aone in the other toconstitute a nonflexible joint, and a coiled spring tending to hc-ldsaid handle element and said hook in bearing relation but to yield undera predeterminedv pull upon said hook.

ALONZO R.. EASTMAN.

